MATTHEW S. WEST
CITY MANAGER | MUNICIPAL EXECUTIVE | STRATEGIC LEADER
EXECUTIVE PROFILE
Municipal executive with 26+ years of progressive local government leadership in Orange County, including building effective teams, navigating sensitive issues, and delivering results.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
CITY OF GARDEN GROVE / Garden Grove, CA
Assistant City Manager / January 2024-Present
Advise and support the City Manager and City Council in managing a full-service municipal organization of 620+ full-time/part-time benefitted employees and 150+ seasonal employees. Help oversee citywide operations and Council priorities for an organization with $408.8M FY2026 and $399.4M FY2027 budgets.
Coordinate across departments and stakeholders to address complex operational, community, and policy Issues.
CITY OF TUSTIN / Tustin, CA
City Manager / 2019-2023
Led a full-service city with 315 full-time and 100+ part-time employees, overseeing operations, strategic priorities, budgets, capital programs, and Council direction.
Developed balanced biannual budgets, including a $160.4M FY2023/24 budget with an $88M General Fund and $57M Capital Improvement Program; established fiscal policies emphasizing long-term sustainability | Directed the $400M Tustin Legacy capital and development program transforming 1,600 acres of the former Marine Corps Air Station into a premier master-planned community | Negotiated the sale of City-owned property for 400 residential units, generating $69.5M plus up to $15M in profit participation | Led the organization through COVID-19, civil unrest, wildfires and evacuations, an apartment arson fire and emergency shelter operations, and repeated Emergency Operations Center activations | Developed a $7.6M CARES assistance program for local small businesses and nonprofits and built/operated a 57-bed low-barrier homeless shelter.
CITY OF TUSTIN / Tustin, CA
Assistant City Manager / Deputy City Manager / Assistant to the City Manager / Principal Management Analyst / Redevelopment Project Manager / Planner / 2001-2019 Progressively advanced through virtually every level of municipal management, culminating in appointment as City Manager.
Led complex negotiations involving the City, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army Reserve, County, and community college district, unlocking development opportunities and millions of dollars in potential revenue | Managed major infrastructure, environmental remediation, real estate, and development initiatives at Tustin Legacy, including a $40M roadway project and $75M environmental insurance program; managed development entitlements exceeding 3 million square feet.
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
B.S., Urban & Regional Planning — California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Certificate, Public Employee Leadership Development — California State University, Fullerton Ext.
International City Managers Association - Member | 25 Year Service Award Recipient California City Managers Foundation - Member
Orange County City Managers Association — Past Executive Committee Member